Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to portable electronic devices having proximity sensors.
Background Art
Proximity sensors detect the presence of nearby objects before those objects contact the device in which the proximity sensors are disposed. Illustrating by example, some proximity sensors emit an electromagnetic or electrostatic field. A receiver then receives reflections of the field from the nearby object. The proximity sensor detects changes in the received field to detect positional changes of nearby objects based upon changes to the electromagnetic or electrostatic field resulting from the object becoming proximately located with a sensor. Electronic devices employ such proximity sensors to manage audio and video device output.
For example, when a device determines that a user's face is proximately located with the device, the device may reduce speaker volume so as not to over stimulate the user's eardrums. As another example, the proximity sensor may turn off the device display when the device is positioned near the user's ear to save power. Thus, these types of wireless communication device dynamically adjust the operation of audio and video output components when these components are positioned very close to, i.e., adjacent to, a user's ear. To work properly, the transmitter emitting the electromagnetic or electrostatic field in these proximity sensors draws power and must be continually operational, which can lead to reduced run time. It would be advantageous to have an improved proximity sensor systems and new uses for the same.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.